When using a conventional wrench, it is often inconvenient or impossible to torque and rotate a bolt, screw, nut, or other fastener without the user having to periodically reposition his or her hand on the tool handle and/or reposition the tool on the fastener. Ratcheting handles on rotating hand tools have been developed to allow the user to rotate the fastener through any number of rotations without having to reposition his hand on the handle or reposition the tool on the fastener. Ratcheting handles, such as those on conventional socket wrenches, have been developed with a direction selector or lever which the user can manipulate to change the ratcheting direction of the handle. The selector allows the ratcheting handle to apply torque to the fastener either clockwise to advance the fastener into the work piece or counterclockwise to withdraw the fastener out of the work piece.
Conventional socket wenches typically have a handle that extends at a ninety degree angle from the rotational axis of the fastener. The long handle and its rotational travel make such wrenches unsuitable for work in tight spaces, such as in an engine bay of an automobile. An extension can be inserted between the socket and the wrench to remove the wrench from the tight space. Of course, this solution requires the user to carry an extra component in his tool set, namely, the extension, and sometimes the extension on hand is still not long enough to completely locate the wrench into open space. Conventional socket wrenches also have a drive block that holds a socket in place, but typically lack additional support for the socket and a mechanism of guiding sockets on the drive block to facilitate rapid attachment/detachment of the socket.
Screwdriver-type ratcheting handles have also been developed with a rotating collar for selecting the ratcheting direction of the handle. Typical screwdriver-type ratcheting handles have narrow, tubular handles, similar to conventional screwdriver handles, which are suitable for low torque applications. However, such narrow, tubular handles do not provide sufficient mechanical leverage to develop the torque necessary for jobs that normally require use of a wrench. Also, a user of such narrow, tubular handles usually must grasp the handle in such a way that his palm rests on one side of the handle causing his wrist to be located off to another side of the handle. When a handle must be grasped in this way, it may be difficult for the user to apply sufficient axial force to keep the tool pressed on the fastener while simultaneously applying a large amount of torque to the fastener.
Persons skilled in the art have recognized a need for a ratcheting handle that can be used in tight spaces and which provides increased mechanical leverage. There is also a need for a ratcheting handle that allows a user to quickly change ratcheting direction without having to remove or disengage the tool from the fastener. A need also exists for a ratcheting handle that allows for rapid attachment of tools to the handle and that provides stability to the attached tool. The present invention in various embodiments satisfies many of these and other needs.